Exposure
by IvyTower
Summary: (WARNING: LOTS OF BLOOD AND DEATH) It all started with Shadow's first taste of power, and powerful entities began to twist his mind. He'll lose sight of those he loves and what he cares for. All will be replaced by blood and ambition.
1. Chapter 1

"I think you two can cope with that lot, can't you?" I asked. I didn't really expect an answer, I knew my team would be able to handle the swarm of badniks that lay beyond the cliff.

Rouge grinned down on the robots, and then she winked at me. "And I suppose a strong, handsome man such as yourself will go straight for Eggman?"

I crossed my arms. "If Sonic couldn't be bothered to show up here sooner, why should I give him the satisfaction of fighting the doctor?"

Omega must've got bored with the chit-chat, as he sent out a barrage of missiles down on the badniks below. The metal fragments were already flung to where Team Dark were on top of the cliff, and Rouge had to duck to avoid being hit by one of the robots remains.

Rouge sighed, but with a fond smile. "You don't really have much patience, Omega."

Omega continued to fire missiles, not looking at the bat. The explosions continued to boom and ignite, one after the other. "I just want to destroy them already."

I rolled my eyes at Omega's predictability before teleporting to the doctor's base.

I was met by the grey, metal walls and floors of the base. I began to walk forward, my rocket boots making a clanging sound each time I took a step forward. I wasn't bothered by the noise, this wasn't a stealth mission.

I must of took 5 steps before a load of alarms began to flash red, warning me to turn back. The irritating wail of sirens broke out as robots suddenly made their presence known by dropping out of hatches from the room. I was very nearly crushed myself, but I managed to swivel around and send a chaos spear at the robot instead. The robots then went down like a stream of dominoes.

"Do you insist on destroying all my creations? They take years to build!" Eggman's voice boomed from behind my back, I turned around slowly to see Eggman sitting in some sort of robotic contraption resembling a crab. The doctor had a scowl on his face and was crossing his arms like a kid about to have a temper tantrum.

I looked Eggman's new toy up and down, and couldn't help but sigh in disappointment. This was Gerald's grandson, and he was a disgrace to their family name. I suddenly then wondered if Gerald was watching down on Eggman from above, and feeling the same sense of disappointment as I was.

"If you don't want them destroyed, design them better." I remarked before leaping into the air, I got a good look at the robot now, and I quickly found a suitable weak point to attack. In one of the leg joints was some exposed wire, Eggman was really making it too easy.

I charged a spin attack into the wire, and sure enough a jolt of electricity sparked through the robot. It was not enough to make it collapse, however, so I ended up firing a chaos spear into the centre of the contraption. With a thud, it collapsed on the metal floor, It must have weighed a lot, as the ground shook a little once it collided with the ground.

"I'm done here." I reported through my wrist communicator. I heard Rouge laugh slightly on the other end of the line. "Of course you're already finished, Shadow!"

"It's not like he made it difficult." I muttered. Rouge should know by now that all Eggman's plans were poorly thought out.

"Omega's finishing the last ones over here, so we'll be done soon. Shadow-"

I stopped listening at that moment. My brows furrowed as I looked back at the remains of the robotic crab. Where was the doctor? By now I would've expected the man to have clambered out of the wreckage, and the mad scientist would utter some nonsensical rant about how things were going to be different next time.

Yet there was nothing. The carcass of the crab lied still.

I approached the remains of the robot, my head surprisingly deprived of any thoughts or emotions. I lifted it up out of the way with minimum effort.

My glove was then stained with scarlet liquid.

I frantically searched under the heap of robotic legs to find the doctor.

Blood was pouring from his forehead.

He wasn't moving.

He wasn't breathing.

I cautiously approached and my fingers trembled as I searched for a pulse.

His heart wasn't beating.

He was dead.

I took a few steps back, shaken and stunned; I almost tripped over one if the robots I had destroyed earlier. One minute the doctor was alive and now he was dead.

It was because of me.

I didn't know what to feel.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Two Weeks Later.._**

I could hear Rouge knocking for about the hundredth time, yet I refused to come out of my hiding spot. I had decided that that the storage cupboard would be a suitable place for me to reside from now on.

Funnily enough, it wasn't fear of disapproval from the public that kept me hiding, but quite the opposite. As soon as the word got out that I had killed Eggman, I had turned into some kind of.. _celebrity._ Just a day before people were cowering behind shopping tills each time I just wanted to buy a banana, but now people are cheering me like I'm a hero, something to be admired rather than feared.

I knew I should really be grateful. The fact that people were finally willing to look at me positively, rather than making judgements of what I did in the past, should make me feel grateful that I can finally start over. However, it does not.

The day everyone found out about the doctor's death, the town decided to knock on my door, and drag me into town for a huge party. I know lots of people would find this a good thing, and are probably confused at my lack of enthusiasm. The simple reason was, I hated crowds of obnoxious people, and the addition of loud music was not a good combination. Still, I attempted to tolerate it, but as soon as the opportunity presented itself I was out of there.

Then, for the next few days, the paparazzi decided to follow me everywhere I went. It came to the point where I would just step outside the house and immediately get swarmed with interviewers. They would always ask the same questions, "How does it feel to be a hero?", "What made you take action against Eggman unlike the Freedom Fighters?", "What do you plan to do next?", "How much power do you exactly possess?", and bizarrely, people would ask me stupid questions like "What's your favourite colour?" Naturally, I responded with the smallest amount of words possible, if I even answered at all.

I soon learnt to just teleport everywhere I needed to go, avoiding the interviewers so I could get where I needed to be. This seemed to be efficient enough, until I realised that still, _somehow_, I was appearing in newspapers and magazines constantly, with pictures I didn't recall ever being taken. It didn't take me long to realise that I was being followed. How did Sonic deal with this all the time? Heck, he said he _likes_ the fame and attention! I, however, prefer to have my privacy. I'm not comfortable with people knowing my thoughts and mannerisms, you don't know how they're going to use it against you.

It soon became apparent that I had absolutely no privacy left. So I decided to lock myself in the storage cupboard. It was surprisingly warm, and the darkness was strangely comforting, I also didn't exactly have to worry about coming out for food and water since I was immortal.

"You can't hide in the cupboard forever!" Rouge called out frustratingly, rapidly knocking on the door.

"Yes I can." I replied simply, she should've realised that my immortality would perfectly allow me to stay there.

"You're not the first person who's had to deal with the paparazzi!" Her patience was withering with every word.

"And that means what exactly?"

"It means if those people were able to deal with it, you can too."

"You forget those people wanted the fame, and the fact they had numerous bodyguards."

Rouge sighed. "Just try to reason with them! Say you don't want to be in the news and they should stop."

"They'll find some way to twist that story and make me appear like a villain. They're annoying like that."

Rouge sighed more aggressively this time. "I'll get Omega to blow down the door." She warned.

"Why do that when you could just kick the door yourself."

There was a pause. "Fair point." The door then almost landed on top of him, and a pissed Rouge stood with her arms crossed in the doorway. She stomped forward and grabbed my hand, dragging me behind her like a rag doll. I didn't attempt to resist, I couldn't be bothered, she still wasn't going to make me leave the house. She then threw me on the couch in the living room.

"I assume I'm in for a lecture?" I inquired, slowly sitting up into a straighter posture, meeting Rouge's gaze. She was standing in the middle of the room, looking down on me with her hands on her hips. If she were in a cartoon, smoke would be fuming out of her ears. She stared at me with a glare that could rival my own.

Rouge ignored my comment. "What would you have done if there was a city under attack?"

"It depends."

"Depends on what?" Rouge snarled.

"Depends if the attack was major enough for me to get involved."

"What would you claim as _major enough?_"

I shrugged. "Only the stuff that everyone else couldn't deal with."

Rouge suddenly slammed down her hands on the coffee table. The mug that was already on there fell over, but luckily no contents were spilled because it was empty.

"Didn't the thought occur to you it might be too late by then? You can't hide forever! People need you! Or do I have to remind you of Maria's wish _again?_" Rouge snapped.

I flinched. Of course I didn't forget. I could _never _forget. The gruesome image of Maria's dead body filled my vision, and then I was overcome with a wave of guilt. Rouge knew me too well. She knew exactly where to hit me the hardest. Yet I was grateful for that. Rouge got through to me when no one else could, she made me realise when I was doing something wrong. She had the balls to call me out when I was acting stupid.

I admitted defeat as I dipped my head to Rouge. "You know I haven't forgotten, and I do care about those in need, it's just.."

"I know you're uncomfortable with your situation right now," Rouge's voice was now more sympathetic, "but you have to work your way round it."

Suddenly, I felt a smile spreading on my face. "I hate it when you're right."

Rouge laughed slightly. "I don't."

I looked up at the pale ceiling, taking a deep breath in, and then a deep breath out. "Why is this so hard?" I began, mainly to myself. "Fighting against super villains is nothing for me, yet trying to avoid interviewers is a huge challenge."

Rouge pondered for a bit. "Maybe you could ask Sonic how he deals with it."

I groaned, Sonic was the last person I wanted to talk to. "You know I try to avoid that hedgehog like the plague, so no."

Rouge rolled her eyes. "It doesn't have to be Sonic! It could be any Freedom Fighter."

"Maybe not a Freedom Fighter.." My voice trailed off as I began to think.

The bat tilted her head curiously. "Who are you thinking?"

"Blaze." I said as I got up.

Rouge blinked in shock. "Why her?"

"She's a princess isn't she? Then there's no doubt she's had to deal with the media."

"With that logic, you could ask Sally, that would save you travelling all the way to the Sol dimension." Rouge reasoned.

"I prefer Blaze." I simply remarked. Blaze was one of the few people I've met that wasn't annoying. She was sensible, practical, not obnoxious or loud, and composed. I decided that Blaze would have the best answers, Sally would probably just tell him that he shouldn't worry. Blaze, however, being a quiet and reserved person herself, would probably understand my situation, and offer actually decent advice.

"Besides," I summoned the green Chaos Emerald. "Chaos portal!" A portal appeared in the middle of the room, and Rouge had to violently jump aside to avoid getting sucked in. "It gives me a chance to use this." I grinned.

"I know, you have to boost your own ego by showing off what new Chaos Energy things you've learnt." Rouge shook her head in disappointment.

"I might as well do something with it." I responded. I began walking to the portal. "I shouldn't be long."

"Shame." The bat muttered.

I couldn't help but grin slightly at her remark as I entered the portal.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**HOLY SHOOT, I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS STORY TO HAVE FAVS AND FOLLOWS ALREADY, BUT I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR IT! THANK YOU!**

**I KNOW THINGS ARE SLOW RIGHT NOW, AND BELIEVE ME I WANT TO GET TO THE GOOD STUFF TO, BUT SET UP IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO OVERALL MAKE THE STORY FEEL MORE COMPLETE AND SATISFYING, IN THIS CASE AT LEAST.**

**REVIEWS AND CRITIQUES ARE ALWAYS GREATLY APPRECIATED. I AM A NEW WRITER, AND CRITIQUES WILL HELP ME IMPROVE AND HOPEFULLY MAKE THESE STORIES MORE ENTERTAINING FOR YOU GUYS!**

**HAVE A NICE DAY FOLKS!**


	3. Chapter 3

Travelling across dimensions was a weird feeling. You feel like you're somehow being bent into a loop like a piece of rubber, all while seeing a huge glare of white light. This only lasted an instance, yet the feeling is something that sticks with you faintly for a while afterwards.

I had barely enough time to adjust to my new surroundings until I heard a voice. "Bow down to the will of the ol' mighty pirate sword!"

The white light now faded to reveal the tip of a sword pointed to my face, I looked beyond it and saw the small figure of Marine glaring at me with gritted teeth.

"Have I done something wrong?" I asked sarcastically, I failed to understand why Marine was treating me like some kind of enemy, we'd met before.

"You tell me!" She huffed, her Australian accent more prominent than ever.

"Marine, calm down." My ears pricked as Blaze's quiet voice came from the doorway. She walked down the crimson carpet with gold swirls down towards me. It was at that moment I actually realised where I was. It must have been Blaze's castle. The gold walls with intricate patterns, portraits of people in regal clothes hung up on the wall, and there was a long dining table with pieces of silverware all along it. The chairs surrounding the dining table, just like the walls, were a shining gold with red cushions.

Blaze gently pushed Marine aside. "What are you doing here?" She asked curiously, although there was something in her tone that suggested she'd assumed something bad had brought me here.

"I'm here to ask you some questions, if you're not busy." I understood that she was the princess of the Sol dimension, and she probably had lots of duties to deal with. She, in reality, might not have enough time to give advice on my rather pathetic problem, and I understood that.

Blaze shook her head. "No, I'm not busy, not at this moment in time." She walked over to the dining table and pulled up a chair. "Please, sit."

I hesitated and looked around me, for some reason, I felt out of place in such a regal and imposing setting. I eventually took a small breath in and sat down. The chair was surprisingly comfy compared to its sturdy appearance, it was the kind that when you sat down, you could feel yourself sinking deeper into the seat.

"What queries do you have?" She asked, sitting down in the chair next to me. Marine then ran out of the room and then sprinted back carrying a cup of china on a saucer. She then tripped and the cup was sent flying, I quickly reached out to catch it, and sure enough it, it landed neatly in my right hand, with no liquid spilt. "I assume this is yours." I remarked, putting the beverage on the table in front of her.

"Thank you." She dipped her head in gratitude with a slight smile, clearly she was fascinated at my fast reaction time. She then turned to Marine. "I know you mean well, but please don't run with hot objects."

"Sorry, Blaze" The raccoon gave an embarrassed laugh and scratched the back of her head.

She turned back to her cup of what I assume to be tea. She went on to stir it slowly with a teaspoon. "Sorry for the interruption. You were saying?"

"Well.." I was struggling to find suitable words to convey my problem. "I'm kind of.. _famous._"

Blaze nearly dropped her tea cup in shock, but quickly placed it back on the table. Marine leaned over the table on the other side of him with a grin. "Crikey, what made _you _famous?"

"I killed Eggman, all right!" I snapped. I just wanted to get to the part where I received advice, my reason for my new found popularity didn't matter.

"Blimey! Told you he was sinister lookin' when we first met 'im, didn't I, Blaze?" Marine remarked going over to nudge Blaze with her elbow.

"He's dead." The princess said to herself, "He's really dead."

My ear flicked. "It was an accident." I insisted.

"I'm not worried, or scared, or anything like that." Blaze said hurriedly. "I just, I don't know what to think."

"That just about sums up all the other Freedom Fighters' reactions." Shadow muttered.

Blaze then shook her head, probably snapping herself out of her train of thought. "Anyway, so you're famous, shockingly." She added to herself. "What question did you want to ask me?"

"With my new found fame, it has brought some _unwanted attention,"_ I hissed through gritted teeth. "Paparazzi are on my tail."

Blaze sighed, her ears drooping slightly in sympathy. "I know how annoying that can be."

I was suddenly overcome with a wave of rage, and jumped out of my chair. "Annoying? _Annoying! _Do you have any idea how paranoid I've been? They've been following me _everywhere! _When I step outside my house, I get bombarded with interviewers. Everything I do when I'm outside, ends up in the next magazine! It's driving me crazy!" I frustratingly paced back and forth, I rarely raised my voice, and it was with this realisation that I stopped. "I apologise." I took a deep breath in. "That outburst was uncalled for."

Blaze now stirred her tea once again, this time the teaspoon scraped against the bottom of the cup. She looked back up at me. "It's fine. It's better to let it out than let it bubble up vigorously inside."

"Y-yes." I felt my cheeks burning a little, I didn't want to cause a scene. I slowly sat down again and gathered myself. "I was wondering, with the fact that you are a princess. you've dealt with such experiences yourself. So I'd like to know how you have dealt with such a situation. As I would prefer to have my privacy back."

Blaze took a sip of her tea, it was the first she'd taken this whole time. She must've found it became a bit cold, as she let a flame flicker from the tip of her index finger, hovering it gently over the tea to warm it up. "There isn't a specific way to deal with it."

"Well, what can I do?"

Blaze shrugged, she looked disappointed with herself for not giving a better answer. "I can only suggest going out disguised, if you wear a large hoodie or something, you'll be surprised how easily you can go unrecognised. However, there is always the possibility that walking around with a large hoodie and your head bent down can make you look suspicious, which _will_ make you the centre of attention."

After a pause, I groaned and put my head in my hands. "Anything else?" I asked desperately.

"I could suggest moving to a more rural area to stay out of their radar, but that depends if you're willing to go through all that hassle. With your job as a G.U.N agent, that would probably be impractical anyway."

I could only sigh in defeat, clearly there was no way of getting around it.

"If I was you, I'd spit in their face and pound them in the dirt!" Marine declared, adding her two cents in. I'm sure this was well intentioned, but it didn't really help at all.

Blaze suddenly lifted her chin up, with a decisive look in her eyes. "Now that Marine brings that up. I would like to say something important. When dealing with the media, your reputation and your attitude mean _everything. _You make one wrong move, say one wrong thing, your life goes into _shambles. _You can say one mildly insulting thing, or do something questionable and the next thing you know G.U.N want you back in a test tube in their custody."

I glanced awkwardly around me. Could people really be that dramatic?

"All I'm saying is to closely monitor how you speak and how you act. Never say anything that could be taken as something bad out of context. For some people, it's easier to use a persona when with the media. You're problem is is that you have to create a believable persona based on what others already know about you. It's not like you were some random person after all, you were still an important figure then. I am warning you to be very careful. You don't have a manager or bodyguards out to protect you. You're on your own."

I was surprised at the intensity in Blaze's tone. I couldn't believe it could be so dramatic. Was I really never going to have my privacy again?

"Miss Blaze?" A curious voice could be heard from the door way. Some kind of maid with a frilly dress was standing there. "Our guests have arrived."

Blaze blinked. "Already? They're early."

She then turned back to me. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of much use, and I'm also sorry that I have to ask you to leave now.

I nodded, her words had brought me back to reality from my thoughts. "Don't worry about it, you said what you could." I then turned around, but with one last glance I added. "I should really visit you more often, sometime when I don't just have a problem to ask, but just to talk." Shadow was surprised at himself for saying this, he usually wouldn't bother, but there was something about the cat's calm and sensible demeanour that he appreciated.

Blaze smiled softly. "I'd love that, you'd almost think we're friends.

I let out a "hmph," but with a grin, "I prefer the term _acquaintance._"

"Sure you do."

"Miss B-Blaze" The maid raised her voice nervously. "They're waiting."

"She'll come when she's ready!" Marine shouted in the maid's face.

"Don't worry! I'm coming! I'll see you some other time!" Blaze quickly added, following after the maid.

"Same to you." I opened a portal and returned to Mobius, right back in the living room where I'd left.

* * *

"You weren't gone for long." Rouge remarked, she was reading a book on the couch and didn't look up from the pages.

"She had some business to attend to." I replied.

"Learned anything useful?"

"I've just become more paranoid than I already am." I sighed, crossing my arms.

Rouge tutted and looked up from her book. "Blaze tends to be pessimistic. Tell you what," she smiled pleasantly, "get some sleep. I know, I know you're the ultimate lifeform and you don't need sleep, but I recommend it. It'll clear your mind and help you relax. Your head should be clear to think in the morning."

I then looked out of the window, the sky was a pleasant midnight blue, and the silhouettes of the trees swayed lightly in the breeze. The moon was softly glowing down onto the living room. I then suddenly felt tired as my eyes began to droop, I knew I wasn't really supposed to feel tired, but I supposed the stress and paranoia had taken its toll. "I suppose I'll do that." I said softly, swallowing down my pride.

"In that case, where do you want to sleep? I can give you my bed or the couch?"

"I don't need your bed!" I huffed. "The couch will be more than sufficient."

"All right then, tough guy, I'll see you in the morning." She said, getting up from the couch and groggily walking up the stairs. I looked up at the clock above the couch. It was ten to midnight. I was shocked, Rouge usually paid close attention to her sleeping schedule, always trying to go to bed at ten. Was she really trying to get me out of the cupboard for that long? I wanted to slap myself for being so idiotic.

Rouge's bedroom door closed with a click and I laid down on the couch. The couch was stiff compared to the chairs in Blaze's castle, but it felt more like home. I plumped up a small cushion and placed it under my head so I could rest on it. I didn't really know what sleeping was like or even how you fall asleep, yet, my body seemed to automatically know to close my eyes and let my mind go blank.

* * *

_It is time._

The purple mist that had been hiding in the bushes stirred. It flew out, and with no hesitation squeezed through the cracks of the window.

_Finally_

It lingered slightly, observing it's victim. He was quiet; strangely peaceful. He didn't deserve to rest.

_I didn't deserve to die._

His chest rose up and down, slowly and rhythmically.

_He doesn't deserve to rest._

He looked warm; comfortable, even.

_I am your worst nightmare._

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTE**

**WOOPDIE DOO! CHAPTER 3 DONE! YA'LL CAN NOW LOOK FORWARD TO SOMETHIN' NEXT CHAPTER. LET THE CORRUPTION COMMENCE, MWAHAHA!**

**I FEEL LIKE SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT, I WAS LISTENING TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC WHILE WRITING THIS... AND IT'S MAY :'( I APOLOGISE TO MY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COUNTRY.**

**I AM A NEW WRITER, SO CRITIQUES AND REVIEWS ARE APPRECIATED! **

**THANKS TO ALL THOSE THAT HAVE FAV'D , FOLLOWED, AND LEFT REVIEWS ON THIS STORY SO FAR. YOU'RE ALL AMAZING! I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS STORY!**

**HAVE A NICE DAY FOLKS!**


	4. Chapter 4

I saw black, yet I realised my eyes were open. I was laying down on a cold, bare floor instead of the bed. I looked around me, expecting my eyes to adjust to the surroundings, but everything remained dark. I decided to slowly stand up, and pinch my arm. I soon came to the conclusion that I was dreaming.

I found myself tapping my foot repeatedly on the ground. With the way Rouge had described dreams before, I was expecting more from the whole experience. Rouge had told me all about the the, for the lack of a better term, 'wacky' things she had seen in her dreams. I can't say I was expecting something as plain as this when I experienced sleeping for the first time. It almost disappointed me that nothing else was capable of forming from my subconscious mind. Was I really this boring and depressing in life? Maybe Rouge was right, maybe I do need to go out more after all.

Something else that occupied my thoughts was the fact I appeared to be in complete control of my body and mind. Rouge had mentioned this vaguely, something about lucid dreaming. It appeared to me that I was in the midst of such a lucid dream, but it still didn't make this anymore entertaining.

I suddenly saw something purple. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. But then I remembered I'm the ultimate lifeform, my eyes never play tricks on me.

Sure enough, more purple flashed before me before disappearing again. It was like some kind of swirling mist. It came back, this time hovering in front of me like a cloud. I just stared at it, I didn't really know what to do. It didn't seem to be causing any problems. It just lingered.

It started to swirl around a bit more vigorously, and my eyes narrowed. Its speed gathered, and eventually started to whip around like some sort of tornado. Wind built up and blew against my face, my quills flailing around behind me. I blinked as I swore I could see some sort of figure beginning to form. It seemed like a Mobian, but the edges were a bit more.. jagged. The mist began to fade, revealing some kind of Mobian made out of a strange purple-black crystal. A shiver crept up my spine when I saw that the creatures quills were a lot like my own. He had some kind of light blue crystal stripe down his forehead not much unlike my red one. His eyes were also angular like mine, but at least they had a significant difference in the fact his eyes were yellow and practically snake like. Where his eyes should have been white they were a glaring red.

I found myself frozen, it was like looking at some kind of demonic version of myself. He stood with a straight posture, his eyes focusing straight into my own

"Shadow," the creature finally decided to speak, instead of worrying about him knowing my name, I was more creeped out by the fact he didn't even have a mouth, "it's been a while."

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I could only hope my eyes weren't portraying my fear to whatever was in front of me. I took in a subtle breath. "I don't even know who you are."

The thing moved his fingers in a long motion, making them crack slightly. "Of course, I tend to forget you don't remember."

"Remember what?" My voice sounded surprisingly impatient, yet internally the thought of forgetting a creature like this greatly disturbed me.

"We've met before," His voice was deep, hitting a strange combination between calm and intense, "in another timeline."

"I-"

"That timeline was erased." I was interrupted. "Don't feel bad for not remembering."

"I wasn't planning to. Tell me who you are." I commanded. It always surprised me how naturally my cold and confident exterior would present itself, no matter what I might be feeling on the inside.

"Mephiles the Dark." He responded, his tone even.

"If the timeline was erased, how do you still remember me?" I continued to press on.

He laughed, it was ominous, with a lingering echo. "I practically _am _time and space."

"What lead to the timeline being erased?" My voice began to develop a growl.

"Why would you expect anything else except the blue hedgehog's interference?"

"I have no time for vague answers. Tell me directly."

"Sonic and Silver began to play in a game where they didn't know the rules. You began to play in a game you didn't understand."

I may of chosen not to acknowledge this comment, but it lurked in the corner of my mind. "You still haven't answered my question directly."

"I don't see what's so difficult to understand. Surely you should have gotten it by now, _ultimate lifeform._" Those last words were a hint of a sneer.

"Forgive me for not being a mind reader. Gerald was intelligent, but not enough to make a psychic hedgehog." I remarked sarcastically.

"Blaming your creators for your faults now, are you?"

I was taken aback, I would never blame other people for my failures. I was disgusted by his assumptions. "No, that has nothing to do with that!"

"I thought the ultimate lifeform was supposed to be perfect."

"I wasn't aware perfection involved the ability of mind reading." I was speaking through gritted teeth.

"So you didn't attempt to deny that you're supposed to be perfect." Mephiles tilted his head slightly.

"I-UGH! Stop trying to twist whatever I'm saying!" I growled in frustration, close to kicking him in the face.

"Isn't perfection what Gerald sought out to create?"

_You're going to be perfect, Shadow. Above all else._

I heard Gerald's words once again. I was told that just days after my creation. Building up a pressure of expectations that has only began to weigh heavier over the years.

"Yes." I slowly replied, dragging myself out of my thoughts.

"Would you say he achieved?"

I was about to open my mouth, but quickly, I shut it again. It was such a trick question, if I answered no, I'd be accused of being weak. If I answered yes, I'd be told I was arrogant.

"Hesitation usually shows doubt you know."

My ears twitched. "Key word there: usually."

Mephiles' eyes narrowed. "I know more than you want me to."

"What do you want, a trophy?"

"You think you're weak."

I scoffed, but my shoulders trembled. "What gave you that idea?"

Mephiles continued to ignore anything I was asking. "You wouldn't be weak if you didn't hold back."

I gulped. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't."

And just like that, Mephiles was gone.

* * *

**AUTHORS NOTE**

**I KNOW THIS CHAPTER'S A LITTLE SHORT, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE THIS CONVERSATION A CHAPTER OF ITS OWN**

**REVIEWS AND CRITIQUES ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED! I'M ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO'S SHOWN THEIR SUPPORT SO FAR!**

**HAVE A NICE DAY FOLKS!**


	5. Chapter 5

It was at that moment I awoke, immediately sitting up in a cold sweat. My hands gripped tightly on the bed covers, and Chaos Energy sparked off the tip of my fingers. I saw the fur on my arm was standing on end, with a chill that penetrated into the bone. A breath appeared to be caught in my throat.

Then I laughed. I allowed myself to laugh. It was soft, but it happened all the same.

_How could I be so stupid?_

My laughter increased in volume. _It was just a dream!_

I was in stitches. _You stupid ultimate life form, getting spooked by a dream!_

The laughter finally died down, and I managed to wipe away a tear that had developed in the corner of my eye. Light was shining through a gap in the curtains, so I went over and opened them. It was clearly morning, the sun was starting to come up and as I opened the window, birds could be heard calling to one another. I then teleported.

"Boo." I said in a completely monotone voice when I suddenly appeared on the chair opposite her on the kitchen table. It was rather amusing to see her fall backwards on her chair. The bat let out a disgruntled exclamation of shock when she was on the floor. Every morning I do this, yet it still scares her every time.

"Shadow.." she panted, "why must you do this to me?"

"It provides mild entertainment."

"Why don't you just.. read a book or something?"

I shrugged. "This is more amusing to me."

"But why..?"

"I don't need to explain myself, I'm the ultimate life form." A grin crept on my face.

Rouge huffed. "You can't always use that excuse."

"Watch me."

Omega walked in just then, and his gaze fell upon Rouge. God knows where he had been all night. "**Seriously, Rouge..?**" he began, "**I told you to arm yourself with a baseball bat.**"

Slowly, she began to stand up. "Shadow's been feeling rather.. perplexed lately, I wasn't expecting it from him."

"Never assume."

Rouge's eyes suddenly became sympathetic after she stood up completely and looked my direction. "Are you feeling any better now?"

"I guess." That response was cryptic, I'm well aware. I suppose I had forgotten about my current situation for a little, but the thoughts were slowly swimming back into my head. The reality that there was no way out also began to settle in again.

"I see." Surprisingly, Rouge didn't attempt to press on, at least not yet. She walked into the kitchen and started boiling water in the kettle, no doubt planning on making a coffee.

Omega picked up the chair that Rouge had fell over on and put it back upright. "**Just remember I'm up for any sparring matches if you need to take out your emotions on something.**"

I couldn't help but smile a little. "I wasn't aware my version of therapy was combat therapy."

"**Rouge has retail therapy, we're perfectly entitled to our version.**" Omega crossed his arms.

Rouge walked in then, shaking her head, but with a smile on her face. She set down her mug on the table, and my face turned pale when I saw a message written in the froth.

_You think you're weak._

I heard static on the TV, and quickly whipped around, my heart beating furiously in my chest. There were words showing through the static.

_You wouldn't be if you didn't hold back._

I shook my head, trembling, trying to physically get rid of the image. I could faintly hear Rouge talking amongst the ringing in my head. She was probably asking what was wrong with me. I had hallucinated before, I'll admit. I sometimes saw Maria when she wasn't there, but she would vanish in an instance. These messages were still there, refusing to go away. How did the stupid dream effect me this much? It shouldn't have lead me to hallucinations.

That's when I heard voices. Hundreds. Thousands talking at once.

_If you didn't hold back, you could have saved her._

My heart stopped.

I could barely move my head, but I somehow I manged to turn back to Rouge.

Only it wasn't Rouge.

It was the person I longed, yet dreaded to see most. It was Maria, except her body was made up of some thick, slimy, purple liquid. The eyes were a solid, blaring white, with no pupils, no nothing. There was a gap in the liquid where her mouth was, showing a grin way too large to be considered anything but abnormal.

_ You didn't care, did you?_

Her voice was practically robotic. I could only stare in horror, powerless. Unable to say anything as all words caught in my throat. Maria laughed, it was giggle, with a lingering echo.

_You never did._

I screamed then, although I think the correct term was screeched. My voice was finally back, but I couldn't put it to good use to insist that she had gotten it all wrong. I always cared! I never stopped caring!

I saw a pair of petrified blue eyes staring at me. I had never been more grateful to see Rouge in my life. "A-Are you okay?" her voice was struggling to become more than a mere whisper.

Tears began to form, blurring my vision and making my face cold as they streamed down. "I care!" I sobbed.

"I care way too much!"


End file.
